Data on overseas absentee ballots raise questions

[flashl]

A new federal survey has found that a scant one-third of the nearly one million absentee ballots requested for the U.S. general election last year by overseas American civilians or active-duty service members were actually cast or counted, a result that one overseas voting advocate said felt like "a dagger in the heart."

The assessment raised questions about enormous disparities in how ballots are being issued and processed.

The report, issued this week by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, cites serious deficiencies in the collection and reporting of election data by both state and local offices, despite federal requirements imposed in 2002 by the Help America Vote Act, or HAVA. One result is that "it is impossible to calculate accurate turnout figures."

A few states, like Alabama and Tennessee, provided almost no data. Ed Packard, Alabama supervisor of voter registration, said the responsible official under a previous state administration "basically didn't collect that information, or did limited amounts of it."
Read more ...

[aquart]

1. A friend tried to vote from Greece in 2004.

Could not get a ballot for love or money.

[flashl]

2. Didn't they actually had to go thru the Pentagon? n/t

[aquart]

3. Huh?

She was not military.

[flashl]

4. I found the article ..

Pentagon to Place U.S. Ballot on Internet for Overseas Voters